A Simple Product Creation and Product Launching Formula

If you tried to think of people involved in product creation, who would come to mind? You may think of Edison, Franklin, or maybe Henry Ford. Would you ever think of yourself as someone who can create a quality product? Product creation is actually relatively easy and product launching is not that tough either! If you follow a few easy to understand steps, you could be starting the product creation and product launching process sooner than you think.

The first step in creating your information product is to know and understand your market. This can be very time-consuming, especially if you are unsure of what to do or where to look to know your market. Studying your niche market and understanding the buzz words and buying patterns can ease the process dramatically. Personally, I would recommend networking with someone who has had success in the niche market you are considering and learn from their results. If they are into product creation and not very business savvy expect some hesitation. If they only sell products and have nothing to do with product launching or product creation you may your first affiliate (sales person)! Something else you can use to find hot trends is with the Google Trends tool.

The second step is the product creation process. Take your niche market and brainstorm ideas and topics relating to it. There are a lot of product launching contests going on recently relating to a newly created internet marketing tool. There are so many aspects to the mentioned niche that literally, and unfortunately, anything can be considered an Internet Marketing tool. The reason that anyone can basically create an Internet Marketing tool is because of something called Private Label Rights products.

What I use private label rights products for, and highly recommend them in this specific manner, is to cure writer’s block especially when it is lingering. Many people base their entire product creation and product launching on a private label rights product. This is where you can start to shine and build a strong brand for yourself. If you set goals for yourself, short-term goals to be exact, you can see your product creation come into being much faster and there is a good chance with less revision needed. If you keep hitting time restraint road blocks; however there is nothing wrong with a slow and steady approach, you can consider outsourcing portions of your project. Outsourcing can be an extremely huge benefit or just as great of a disaster.

You can find someone to outsource work to at a freelance site such as Guru.com or eLance.com. When reviewing proposals it is almost mandatory you perform a background check on them as you are in essence hiring them. Doing a background check on freelancers is as easy as asking for samples of their work and reviewing feedback on the freelance site from previous customers. Depending on the size and requirements of your project this can add up to a decent sized investment, so caution is very important. One tip I always recommend to people looking to hire an individual is to ask them what they can provide you that no one else can. This simple question gives them a chance to “toot their own horn” and acknowledge where they feel most competent as far as their skill set.

The final portion of the product creation and product launching formula is the launch. This can literally make or break the effort, time, and maybe (if you invested) money you put in to your project. There are numerous aspects to product launching and although their relevance is debated in terms to their effect, experts agree all must be followed. The person in your field who you asked for product advice from can help you substantially if you have kept in touch. If not, the first thing you need to do is to create a visually appealing website with flawless design work.

I also mentioned outsourcing before, this is one aspect of product launching I have little strength in and I always outsource this portion. The website does not have to be large however the content (ad copy in Internet Marketing) must be stellar and as perfect as possible. This is where advertising knowledge or experience is beneficial. When the site is set up you now put a lead capture form on your website.

I put two lead capture pages on all products I create on the internet and is one of the best methods of getting a solid start when you are in the product launching stage. When you gain information from a prospect or someone looking to get paid for referring sales you are able to provide them updates or specials. Many people abuse their prospect or affiliate lists by in turn emailing them with a new product daily and I find the recommendations to be totally unrelated to their original need, problem, or interest.

Another stage in the product launching stage is creating a free report or demo version of your product to entice the product to sign up to your email list. Using proper follow up with this can help generate numerous sales for you. One thing you need to ensure is that your free product completely relates to your main product that you are looking to sell.

You are now ready to advertise your product launching to customers as well as the opportunity to sell for affiliates. This is the single aspect that many product creations and launches fail on. It is actually not entirely difficult. One thing you can do is write articles (and a good amount of them) on topics relating to your product. I am a huge advocate of giving a solution in forums. When you join a forum you are normally offered the opportunity to create a signature. In your signature, you should enter the link to your opt-in or lead capture page. When you respond to posts, you are advertising your opportunity.

It is not impossible to create a product and it does not have to take a long time. You need to setup a plan and stick to it. If you get stuck, look at similar and successful products to your own and try and see how they did it. When you sit down and brainstorm you will be surprised with what you can imagine.

The Yin of Legal Resume Writing

While it is usually easier for job seekers to focus on what to do “right” on their resume, many tend to forget what they may be doing “wrong” with their resume. When we put on blinders about potential faults in our resumes, we can miss critical errors that make the difference between getting an interview and getting the heave-ho. In an earlier article, we discussed the yang, or must-do elements, to create an effective legal resume (See: “The Yang Of Legal Resume Writing”). Here we will be focusing on the yin of resume writing, or what not to do, when drafting a legal resume.

Do Not Mislead Or Lie On Your Legal Resume

That may seem like an obvious no-no, but you might be surprised to find out how many applicants stretch the truth or simply lie or their resume. The most common offense usually involves some type of misrepresentation or misleading statement concerning degrees, grades, class standing, academic honors, participation on scholarly publications, work history or relevant work experience. While misleading statements can sometimes be unintentional, they can nevertheless lead to serious consequences.

Today, employers have access to a number of tools to verify resume information through both formal and informal channels. Although employers may be receiving a large number of resumes, they typically conduct some form of due diligence on those they have selected to interview. Therefore, avoid making factual misrepresentations of any kind on your legal resume. You should always aim to represent your qualifications, skills, experience, and interests fully and accurately.

Do Not Include Race, Religion, Sex, Age, Or Marital Status

You should never state race, religion, sex, age, marital status, or other personal data that have no relevance to your employment qualifications on your legal resume. Doing so could suggest you are unaware of, or are insensitive to, laws prohibiting discrimination. If your legal resume contains personal information unrelated to your job target, you might also fall victim to discrimination, even if you’re qualified for the position.

There are a couple of exceptions to this rule. Some federal or state jobs may require this information, in which case you should only include the information specifically requested. Another exception to this rule is if you are sending your legal resume abroad. Sometimes including age, marital status, race, and/or religion is acceptable if the resume is being sent outside of the United States. In that case, you should check with local recruiters as to what is proper to include in the legal resume.

Do Not Use Small Unreadable Fonts Or More than Two Pages

Formatting your legal resume properly is almost as important as the information it contains. If you present an employer with a dense, hard to read document requiring a magnifying glass, you may find that your legal resume will not be getting the attention it deserves, even if its content is outstanding. Instead, use a font the employer can read easily, such as a 12-point font with variable spacing such as Times New Roman or Arial. While you may have to compromise on font size and style to keep your resume to two pages or less, try not to go below a 10-point font on the major sections of your resume.

While your legal resume should be easy to read, it should also be quick to review. Therefore, you should try to limit your legal resume to one page. If you have ten or more years of experience, a two-page resume is perfectly acceptable. If you have a great deal of experience, and would like to highlight your transactional or litigation experience, or list publications and presentations, consider using an addendum. Experiment with different fonts to select one that pleases you, fits the page, and is easy to read.

Do Not Include Irrelevant Or Unnecessary Information

Your resume is a marketing tool designed to land you an interview. It is not a biography. Because the modern resume is a marketing tool, it’s best to keep personal interests, hobbies, and other non-essential materials for the interview process as a way to “break the ice.” If you are keen on listing organizations, affiliations, volunteer work, or extracurricular activities on your legal resume, only list those that are relevant to your practice as a legal professional, or that are directly related to your targeted job. Again, if it’s not related to your practice or the position, do not include it.

Including “References Available Upon Request” on your legal resume is a waste of space and states the obvious. Employers are assuming that you can provide references upon request, so don’t waste precious resume space on something that’s unnecessary. By the same token, there is no need to include computer or technical proficiency (such as Lexis or Word Perfect), unless it is of specific interest to a potential employer. If those skills are not specifically listed in the position description as a requirement, do not include them. Finally, do not include professional skills or work experience that are irrelevant to the type of job you seek or you no longer wish to use (e.g., woodworking).

Listing another language may be appropriate if it adds to your qualifications for the job. In certain cases, knowing a second language is a plus and should be included on your legal resume. When including language proficiency, you may state whether you are “fluent”, “proficient”, or “conversational.” Do not claim language skills unless you can carry out a basic conversation.

Considerations for Starting a Home-Based Business

Home-based business owners are increasing every year. They are CEOs, presidents, the board-of-directors, simply put, “the boss” of their businesses all-in-one. Unlike employers of other companies, every action they take affects their business in particular, the bottom line or ROI. That includes investment of time, money, family responsibility and business sustainability, which includes financing, budget, marketing, advertising, customer relationship and suppliers; maintaining production of services and products and keeping accurate records.Running a home-based business can become overwhelming, and many aspiring business owners go out of business in less than a year. Does the prospect of working from home sound too good to be true? Well, it shouldn’t. Almost everyone can restructure or change their working life so that they can work at home, either full or part time, for employer, freelancer, affiliate, or independent.This major life change may take patience, creativity, and a little sacrifice, but before long, you could be commuting from the kitchen to your office, a cup of coffee in your hand and the sun shining through your window.What considerations or profile is needed to start a home-based business:

Description of the business – describe activities involved in conducting the business task

Start up costs and financing sources – estimates what it will cost to get a business going and suggests financing options

Marketing and advertising methods – the degree of success you enjoy in business is directly related to your ability to continually attract new customers and keep existing customers

Essential equipment – list the basic materials you need to start and run your business, such as computers, internet service, printers, ergonomic furniture, etc.

Skills, training and experience needed – describe the knowledge or background needed, experience and skills you may possess for the business and those skills you need to acquire

Type of business – lists whether it’s an in-home or out of home (meaning you have a home office, you work away from home) business.
People work from their homes for many reasons: unemployment, low salary, high cost of day care, difficulty finding a job, both spouses work to maintain a medium standard of living, single mom, no control over work schedule, etc.Make a plan; it’s your key for success to achieve your goal. Your road to success requires planning. You must make plans, think about them, and act on them. Action is essential to success as a motor and fuel are to an automobile. A major purpose well-stated is half-achieved, restate your major purpose in the progressive tense, action seals the habit of succeeding and eliminates:

Inability to concentrate on what is important

Loss of faith in yourself

Clinging to the status quo

Lack of organization

Stagnant mind set – custom is king (though it shouldn’t be)

Failure to evaluate yourself
The ultimate formula for home businesses or any business to succeed is really quite simple. What is that? A marketing system for autopilot lead generation ensures long-term success. Here are six reasons why:

Generate quality leads consistently and economically

Convert as many of those leads as possible into sales

Ensure that you delight your customers so they’ll be pre-disposed to buy from you again and recommend your business to others

Repeatedly sell refills, replacements and other products to your family of existing customers

Ask customers to refer you to others who may want the same benefits

Keep going back to step #1 and repeat the pattern again
Though a home-based business may lead to a more hectic home life, home-based businesses have the important element of flexibility not usually found in a 9-5 job. Home-based business owners can tailor businesses to fit the needs of customers as well as their family needs. Truth is, many home-based businesses are mobile in recreational vehicle offices on the scenic routes making hundreds, thousands, and millions of dollars a year. They have the freedom to work in their offices at any hour; run their businesses according to their philosophies; and pursue any opportunity or destination they prefer. A Chinese proverb says, “Journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.” But in what direction? Plan your direction.When the goal is clear, the purpose is strong; the steps will be decisive, assertive and forceful. Direction and determination decide destiny. Before you open for business or begin to advertise, check with your local authorities about having a home business, your state regulations and licensing requirements. Your regional Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will also have information about your state’s business regulations.Your key for personal success is persistence because persistence produces results. You can be a successful home-based business entrepreneur.